Priority boarding on QF domestic - what is the story?

[Gold Member]

I experienced the walk of shame on Friday afternoon at Sydney domestic. I was told the Priority boarding window was already called and has now closed and that there are lots more Platinums in line queued up. Funny that, I left the lounge when the flight was called and still no priority boarding available. I questioned why Qantas would advertise 'board at convenience' for their elites if this was their approach but was basically told 'stiff sh1!t' in a polite manner.

The queue was only ~50 people and took about 4 minutes to progress to the scanners, but it's a matter of principle - honour your stated benefits to those who are apparently your most coveted. If I wasn't travelling business and arrived to the gate a little later I'd be miffed if there was no over head space for my carry-on because non-elites were effectively given priority boarding over me and got their luggage up there first. To that end, and in light of DJs excellent priority boarding, I felt compelled to write to Qantas; I'll share their response with you, if I get one. The cynic inside me says it'll be the usual reassurance of benefit and that they will communicate this with their ground staff/cabin crew that effect the benefit.

My interpretation of this policy is not one of incompetence, actually far from it. I suspect this is a commercial decision based on aircraft turn around time. In their minds they figure if they can stream twice the pax onto the plane in the same time they've got less chance of delays and therefore lower risk of on-time performance if they miss their push back window by 1-2 minutes etc. They might be thinking that if they offered a priority lane they would probably find half the pax are entitled to use it anyway which negates the purpose of 'boarding at convenience'. But if there's no one in the priority line then that scanner/FA can be used to service the non-status line as they are processed when they get to the front of the queue. It would still keep the priority line empty (allowing for true board at convenience for status pax) but would also allow QF to process the same number of BPs in the same time as a line without priority thereby elimiating any turn around time risk. Surely they would have studied this already so if not for this reason, is Qantas really just lazy, unable to communicate/enforce basic expectations among their staff, unwilling to honour their stated benefits, determined to encourage a small percentage to try out and move to DJ, or just incompetent after all?

 

[Moopere]

Why it it that DJ can provide this service and and QF can not or will not provide this service this despite saying their Elites can "Board at Convenience"?

Its almost like there is is no-one at the wheel in loyalty product delivery of QF ... Its quite hard for me to believe that someone has actually sat down, thought about 'board at convenience' and really come to the conclusion that muscling in front of other pax is what the flying elites would prefer to do.

Frankly, I'm a bit surprised that someone from OweWorld doesn't spank them. Must be a fair number of miffed OWS and OWE.

 

[connieguy]

Its almost like there is is no-one at the wheel in loyalty product delivery of QF ... Its quite hard for me to believe that someone has actually sat down, thought about 'board at convenience' and really come to the conclusion that muscling in front of other pax is what the flying elites would prefer to do.

Frankly, I'm a bit surprised that someone from OneWorld doesn't spank them. Must be a fair number of miffed OWS and OWE.

That is what I have been told to do. I now fly domestically with DJ as I will not cut the queue in front of a say a CL or brother WP or SG. As for being spanked, QF have altered their boarding announcement to align with OW requirements and have included QF SGs and OW Sapphires despite not saying this on the QF Gold benefit page:

Frequent Flyer - About the Program - Gold Benefits

Also note that on the Platinum benefit page, there is no mention of domestic priority boarding:

Frequent Flyer - About the Program - Platinum Benefits

This is about as unprofessional as you can get and is one reason I now fly domestically with DJ who now give their Golds anytime lounge access, publish the benefits and actually follow through with the delivery of the service.

QF seems to have adopted the belief that all their need to do is to say it is available and not actually delivery on what they say over the PA. I guess they can point to the web site and say something like, "See there is no mention of domestic priority boarding so why are you complaining we do not do this?"

I will record the QF "Boarding at Convenience" PA announcement and place it on this forum for all to listen to.

 

[connieguy]

... is Qantas really just

lazy,
unable to communicate/enforce basic expectations among their staff,
unwilling to honour their stated benefits,
determined to encourage a small percentage to try out and move to DJ, or
just incompetent after all?

I suspect all of the above.

Anyway for me I have moved my domestic flights to DJ. I will spent points on points effective QF JASAs to maintain WP and do the 4"~" sectors but don't expect to spend much time inside QF metal or on QF numbered flights unless a LOT of things change for the better. What is the point in doing more as QF do not respect my $ spend with them?

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Gold Member - good point.

Why QF doesn't use some staff members as 'floats' in the capitals is beyond me. 'Floats' at terminals like SYD, MEL, BNE, ADL and PER with the initial rush and then go to the next gate for the next boarding of aircraft? Do the gate staff who scan the BP's have to be on the plane?

 

[markis10]

Its clearly listed as a benefit for both SG and WP without the international definitions on the OneWorld QFF page:

 

[connieguy]

Its clearly listed as a benefit for both SG and WP without the international definitions on the OneWorld QFF page

Yup for sure. Just QF seem to ignore their OW obligations on their web site. They do however acknowledge them verbally in the domestic PA boarding announcements but not in the physical domestic boarding process.

At the least it is totally non professional and at the worst intentional action to ignore their OW obligations and save a few bucks.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

My post #294 also has pictures from the OW Website and QF's site, which both clearly state that OWE + OWS get priority boarding.

I did also send a question to QF on this matter, but have not heard back...

 

[LiamR]

Did BNE-SYD earlier this morning in J.

Decided to leave the lounge a little earlier and see what the situation was these days with priority boarding.

Sure enough, the PA came out "Boarding for QFxx_ to Sydney will begin shortly, at this time we would like to invite those requiring special assistance, Platinum, Gold, Oneworld Saphire, Oneworld Emrald and those sitting in the business class cabin to board now."

30 second gap...

"Ladies and gentlement we would like to invite those travelling on Qantas Flight xx_ to Sydney to board at Gate xx now. Platinum, Gold, Oneworld Saphire, Oneworld Emrald and those sitting in the business class cabin can board at anytime"

Being the crazy person that I am, I waiting until there was a reasonable queue, walked up to the service desk and asked.

Liam: Hi, I'm a Gold in Business Class, did you say we can board at anytime, how can we do that? There is no dedicated lane for us...
Gate Agent: Just walk to the front and tell them you are in Business class, they should let you through.
Liam: Oh, I see, that's a bit odd, isn't it?
Gate Agent: *Turns to FA at gate scanning* Can you let this one through, he's travelling in Business Class"

The whole boarding process stopps and goes quiet while I walk up to the FA and have my boarding pass scanned. I felt just a bit embarrised having the whole place stop for me.

 

[TonyHancock]

My last QF domestic experience included "boarding at my convenience". The flight was boarded from the rear, so the call went out of for those seated in whatever the last half of the plane were AND J, WP, SG, OWE, and OWS. In essence QF is providing, in some fashion, boarding at convenience for status pax. I got to join a single queue that consisted of pax at the rear of the aircraft and pax with status or in J.....but hey at least the pesky non status pax at the front of Y couldn't board!!!!!!

What they are not providing is priority boarding in any way shape or form. This is a published benefit on domestic flights for WP's. it is still there on the status comparison page on the QF website.

I admire you for persisting with this gowatson I remain at a complete loss as to why it is either not withdrawn as a benefit, or put into practice. If I were traveling a lot domestically I would be seriously miffed.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Seems to me that you got priority boarding because of J Class, not QF Gold...or OW benefits.

 

[LiamR]

Seems to me that you got priority boarding because of J Class, not QF Gold...or OW benefits.

I wouldn't call it priority boarding, more of a way for the Gate Agent to get rid of me quicker so she didn't have to answer the tough questions!!

I found it a bit unprofessional to shout out to another staff member, only for the whole process to stop. Making it feel awkward for me as I walk over and board.

Nevertheless, had a good flight.

 

[Moopere]

Gate Agent: *Turns to FA at gate scanning* Can you let this one through, he's travelling in Business Class"

The whole boarding process stopps and goes quiet while I walk up to the FA and have my boarding pass scanned. I felt just a bit embarrised having the whole place stop for me.

Good on you Liam for having the cahones to do this. I'll take a leaf from your book here and make my way to the service desk in future as you have done. Maybe this is the way to get the message across. If J and SG+ PAX starting lining at the service desk surely someone will get a clue???

 

[trippin_the_rift]

I wouldn't call it priority boarding, more of a way for the Gate Agent to get rid of me quicker so she didn't have to answer the tough questions!!

I found it a bit unprofessional to shout out to another staff member, only for the whole process to stop. Making it feel awkward for me as I walk over and board.

Nevertheless, had a good flight.

It's time Qantas removed Priority Boarding AND Wifi in Lounges from the benefits on qantas.com.

Both these benefits have not been reasonably working for many many many months/years to the point its now deceptive and misleading

 

[connieguy]

I admire you for persisting with this gowatson I remain at a complete loss as to why it is either not withdrawn as a benefit, or put into practice. If I were traveling a lot domestically I would be seriously miffed.

For what every reason QF are intentionally misrepresenting this benefit.

- They hide the benefit on the QF Gold and Platinum benefits pages as referenced above.

- Expose it on the benefits comparison page but then only give it to Platinums (scroll down to boarding benefits):

Frequent Flyer - About the Program - Benefits & Privileges - Status Privileges

- Give the proper OW benefit via the PA announcements, which includes QF Golds but do nothing other than telling you to cut the queue (and you maybe queue cutting in front of a CL, WP, SG or J Pax :shock: who just might be a bit upset)

- Hide it at the gate with no priority boarding signage.

This to me says QF do not give a rats cough about delivering on what they say via the PA nor on their OW obligations as evidenced in their WP and SG benefits pages. I do not see this as incompetence but instead a decision to mislead so as to save money on a few more boarding tapes and signs. This is the worst kind of penny pinching and make me wonder where other stupid penny pinching is going on. If not penny pinching the QF is totally incompetent at getting 3 web site pages to say the same thing and to deliver on their physical OW requirements.

So my intention is to limit my flying on QF to the bare min until the penny pinching and / or incompetency I see currently happening at QF is gone.

 

[TonyHancock]

My attention has turned away from the fact that QF is not providing a published benefit. I'm wondering why.

What possible reasons could QF have for not providing the benefit. I can't believe it would be either cost or difficulty. QF already provides the benefit internationally and DJ has shown it can be implemented domestically.

Does it slow down the boarding process?

 

[connieguy]

My attention has turned away from the fact that QF is not providing a published benefit. I'm wondering why.

What possible reasons could QF have for not providing the benefit. I can't believe it would be either cost or difficulty. QF already provides the benefit internationally and DJ has shown it can be implemented domestically.

Does it slow down the boarding process?

I have asked myself that question as well.

All that speedier boarding gate processing does is to fill up the boarding walkways with Paxs. So that is not a valid reason. I have done the DJ process and all that happens is the single ground staff stops taking BPs from the NB line on one side and takes the Priority BPs from the other line. So the rate of Paxs leaving the BP scanner does not change.

Also only one BP scanner is required and only 1 ground staff.

So there is NO physical or cost reason for QF not to make this happen. Why it is not done, they can't even get 3 web pages to align with the OW requirement and they seem to be trying to deceive their and OW Elites says a lot about what is going on or NOT going on inside QF. Systemic system failure where the right hand does not know what the left hand in doing or where it is. And that is why I have decided to limit by QF metal flying to 4 very short QF domestic sectors per year.

As QF do not run the FLounges (I thank my lucky stars for that), I do hope Sofitel keep running the FLounges the way they do.

 

[ChrisCunard]

Flew Syd - Per on Friday and Priority Boarding was not only announced but also enforced.

Those of us in the J Cabin, plus WP, SG and OW frequent Flyers were welcomed into the Left boarding queue.

A330-300 with two doors allowing for speedy boarding.

 

[TonyHancock]

Flew Syd - Per on Friday and Priority Boarding was not only announced but also enforced.

Those of us in the J Cabin, plus WP, SG and OW frequent Flyers were welcomed into the Left boarding queue.

A330-300 with two doors allowing for speedy boarding.

:shock:

Tell us more? Were there two signposted separate lines? How was boarding announced?

Signs of progress perhaps.

 

[oz_mark]

Flew Syd - Per on Friday and Priority Boarding was not only announced but also enforced.

Those of us in the J Cabin, plus WP, SG and OW frequent Flyers were welcomed into the Left boarding queue.

A330-300 with two doors allowing for speedy boarding.

When the two door A330 operation first came in, that was pretty much the way they did it. Not sure why they went to the economy in both doors thing.